The present invention relates to a clock striking mechanism for sounding a chime or melody at predetermined times, and more particularly to an electronic clock striking mechanism of the type having a detecting circuit for actuating a transducer circuit to generate an acoustic time signal through a speaker upon occurrence of a predetermined time signal.
A device of this generic type, which replaces the conventional mechanical or electromechanical chime or melodious striking mechanisms with means for the electronic synthesis of sound, to thereby produce a sound to be emitted over a loudspeaker, is disclosed in United Kingdom patent application published No. 20 356 24. This device is intended for installation in analog clocks which have no timekeeping circuit in their own mechanism. In this device, the stepping motor that drives the hand means of the analog clock, by way of gear means, is actuated by a digital timekeeping circuit which also controls the emission of sound in the electronic striking mechanism.
The present invention is based on the fact that at the present time an average household can be expected to be equipped with an adequate number of clocks, especially in the living area, wherefore there is no real need for the acquisition of another clock, even though it might be the first to be equipped with a striking mechanism. Additionally, for reasons of production costs, only a limited model offering of clocks for living areas with electronic striking mechanisms can be realistically expected, so that finding an additional clock that would fit into an existing decorating scheme may be difficult.
In view of these facts, it is the primary object of the invention to open up further fields of application for standardized electronic clock striking mechanisms to make possible the mass production of the latter, thereby reducing costs.